Cigarette dispensing device



July 4, i933. A. GIRTANNER 1,917,026

CIGARETTE DISPENSING DEVICE Original Fglled Se'pc. 22, 1926 2 SheetsfSheet l VIVI/I//IM l En vwemtoz fw M@ 4July 4, 1933. A. GlRTANNER 1,917,026

CIGARETTE DI SPENS ING DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 22, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y' Patented July 4, 1933" sferen ALEXANDER GIRTANNER, 0F BilaYSIIllil;

LiGHTER CORPORATION, 0F WARE NEXV YORK, ASSGNOR 'lO ATOMATIC STAMFORD, CONNECTECUT, A CORPORATEON OF DELA- CIGLRE'J?Til-.Tlk DISPEN SIN Gr 'DEVICE Application ledlSeptember 22, 1926, Serial 110.137,113. Renewed May 23, 1929.

Thisinvention relates to improvements in cigarette and cigar dispensing devices which are equipped With means for lighting a cigarette or cigar previous to its delivery; and its primary object is to provide a device of the class specified With a removable receptacle adapted to receive ashes or Vburned stubs of cigarettes and adaptedto act primarily as a means of preventing lighted cigarettes from falling to the floor as a` safety measure as Well as a convenience. *n

Another Vobject `is to provide a cigarette dispensing and lighting device With .means adaptedto receive a lighted cigarette, said means acting as a support therefor, Whether the cigarette is delivered by the'device itself, ori-Whether it is temporarily set down by the smoker for the purpose of resuming smoking of the same after a certain time.

A still further object is to provide simple andconvenient means forreceiving a lighted cigarette as and When delivered by the device through the operation of its dispensing member, said receiving means being placed directly above a suitable receptacle, preferably of a removable nature, adaptedto receive ashes and burned stubs of cigarettes, etc.

Other objects and advantages of thefpresent invention will 'more fully appear as the description proceeds and Willbe set. forth and claimed in the appended claims.

Cigarettedispensing and lighting devices have been heretofore used especiallyy as articles of motor car equipment Where the samemay be conveniently connected-to a source of electric supplyfand to means for creating suction, such as lthe vacuum tank or theintake manifold of the engine. Such devices usually comprise a magazine or container adaptedV to hold a stack of cigarettes free to descend one by one into or upon a receiving-member which is adapted to isolate and remove the cigarette thus yreceived to a dispensing position.;A

These devices are furthermore provided with means which are operatively associatedV With the dispensing member or which are in-V dependent thereof, for forcing .the oigarette-against* an igniting coil which is nor- .suction may be exerted as the igniting position is reached.

In such devices it is desirable that suitable means be provided for receiving or depositing a lightedcigarette the time of its actua-l delivery by the `dispensing member or at any other time to suit the convenience of the user. Furthermore, it is desirable that suoli a receiving m'eanscr receptade,V which may also be used. as an ash tray or cigarette stub receiver, be easily detachable from and replaceable in operative position so that the refuse matt-erl contained thereby may be conveniently vdumped out Without marring the interior furnishings of the car or other place Where ythe device is mounted.

`1 Besides being an add-ed convenience for the benefit ofthe smoker, such a receptacle constitutes an actually necessary precautionary measure,because When provision for lreceiving the lighted cigarette delivered by the device is not made, there is the ever present danger of a cigarette falling the iiooror to some other exposed vpart the car withan attendant danger. This possibility is intensi- O fied by the fact that these devices are usually exposed sot-hat any one can operate them and a child or an inexperienced person may vtnus cause serious damage.

In view of thispossibility cases have been known Where thejlacl of a featureof this character has been deemed sufficient cause for refusal of ,fire insurance, the use of a device net 'thus equigpedgrnet beingapproved by. the hre undervvriters.` v

ilor purposes ofil ustration, the drawings show two didier-ent embodiments of my invention, and referring to said drawings,

F ig. l is a front vievv in elevation partly section-ed and broken away vof a cigarette lightingfand dispensing device lembodying my invention ;v Y

Fig@ is a side'sectional view in'elevation .through line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig.- Sis-a fragmentary front sectional i parts after the dispensing member has` reached its dispensing position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view in elevation through line a-l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view in elevation of the lower part of the device showing the ash tray or receiver detached therefrom;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear view in ele-y vation of the lower part of the device with the ash tray or receiver inserte-d in position;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front view in elevation partly sectioned showing the lower part of the deviceiitted with a removable. ash receiver of a'dilferent construction; Y

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side sectional view in elevation through line SMS of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is a'fragmentary plan view of the ash receiver shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

rlhe present invention does not refer to cigarette dispensing and lighting devices per se, since devices consisting of a container for a'plurality of cigarettes provided with means for `dispensing and lighting a oigan rette at a time therefrom have been heretofore known. Devices of this character have also been described and claimed by me in two other patent applications entitled Cigarette igniting coil control, and Cigarette igniting device, tiled simultaneously herewith.

Specifically, this invention relates to an improvement supplementing and completing the usefulness of this class of devices, and insuring the safety of their operation, said improvement being in the'nature of a detachable ash receiver depending from the lower end of the device, adapted to collect ashes, burned stubs of cigarettes, etc., and adapted to be conveniently removed and replaced for the purpose of dumping its contents elsewhere. K

The invention also includes suitable means for receiving and holding the lighted cig-l arette delivered by the device within easy reach of the user, directly over the ash receiver, preventing the possibility of a lighted cigarette falling on the Hoor and thus lessening fire dangers and insuring clean and sanitary conditions.

The drawings illustrate a deviceY similar to the. one illustrated in Figs. 10, 11, 12 of my other patent application for Cigarette igniting device above referred to, but for the sake of clarity, the operation of the device will b-e described also in the present case in order to set in evidence the advantages of the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates a magazine or container provided with a chamber 11 adapted to receive'a plurality of cigarettes stacked one on top ofthe other.v

Said chamber is openat the lower end, while at the top it is closed by a cover 12 hinged at 13 to the back of the container.

The lower end of the device is provided with two coaxial laterally extending sleeves 14;, 15 in which is rotatably mounted a dispensing member 16 which is tubular in form and is provided at one end with a stud or projection 17, extending through and beyond the closed outer end wall 18of sleeve 15. A button or knob 19 is mounted upon extension 17 and may be used for causing the rotary movement of the dispensing member. ,That part of the dispensing member which is delimited by the inner surfaces of side walls 20, 21, of the container is half cut away to form an open top receiving chamber semi circular in section, which in the normal position of the dispensing member shown in Fig. 1, forms a bottom for chamber 11 and a receiving chamber for the lowermost cigarette 22 contained in said chamber.

Said dispensing member is provided at its free end with an insulating block 23, rotata ble therewith, carrying an igniting coil 2st spirally wound upon its inner surface and attached at one end Vto an axial contact bar 25, rotatably mounted within a tubular terminal 26, provided through a stationary insulating bloclr 27 mountedvat thev end of sleeve 14C, and Vhaving the other end connected to a contact member 28 slightly projecting endwise from insulating bloclr 23, adapted to come in contact with a contact surface 29, integral with a Yterminal bar 30 which is mounted within another tubular terminal 31, inserted through stationary insulating block 27.

32, 33, designate two electric wires leading from a suitable source of electric supply to terminals 2G, 81 respectively.

When the dispensing member is rotated and contact member 28 abuts against contact surface 29, the igniting coil becomes insert ed into the circuit and is energized. The rotatory movement of the dispensing member is limited substantially to 180O from its normal, position shown in Fig. 1 to its dispensing position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and the energization of the coil preferably takes place during the period of travel of the dispensing member from one point to another, the coil becoming Cle-energized as or slightly before the dispensing position is reached. This prevents the possibility of the coil becoming overheated or burning out through an unduly prolonged energization, the fraction of time required by the movement of said dispensing member being suflicient in practice to cause the cigarette to become lighted.

The lighting of the cigarette occurs first by shifting the cigaretteA within the receiving chamber of the dispensing member close to the igniting; coil at the same time that the igniting coil is energized, and then by eX- erting suction at theother end by some suitableV meansJIntheiclseof a' motor acar-"fsnC-.. f tionmeansl are `providedfeitherby the vacuum tank or 'by-1. the intake imanifold toV which an ijnlet tubeBLJe-leadingtoftheinsidezof sleeve e ,the dispensingfpositionfis reached, the'release. ofjthe cigarette; being [effected only dnring j the return movement of the member cause `ingfit s1 aXialQdisplacement.; If theydeviceais j inadvertentlycleft in this dispensing 'positionpj "however, the-cigarette `vvillco`ntinue to burny Y becoming Vshorter and then fallingjo'ut of its` y' 1 own '-acc'ordgif Ineboth casesit-istherefore deg-` sirablejtoeprovide means adapted .to*receive f e the"ligl1ted ,cigarettethus'deliveredby the*4v l devicepreventingr the same from i-falling to 1 wardlynp toai'peak point'38,fand' thenis dif-l e .rected lin'theiiippOSiteidirection to the end point B9, Which is" ytransverselyl inline "vvith Y e thefstarting point....Theaction`of saidv camy 25 slot during. the5semiecircular f movementof Ythedispensingl member Iistherefore first tol Vcanse the suctionfmember toadvancefinvvard-- lyf, fo'rcing cigarette 22 Vto-Wards thex'ignitf ing coil, andthen tofrvithdrawfresuming"its 30 original position" when the` end:,ofgtheslotV is Vreached.y Both-the dispensingmemberf'and' thefsuctio'n member'f'are provided .vvi th ports or openings'snch'as `=vvhich register vvth inletyfl duringthe time vvhen the .coil isy ene 35 ergized, that is, yduring the maj or partofvthey travel `of fthe .e dispensing member from its normaltolits dispensing pos'itionQf:

r-The resnlt of this'arrangementis I the"V dispensing member is.V movedlrto' itsL dise 40 pensingeaposition, the; cigarette Within kits receiving chamberis shifted closeftoftheigfniting coil, Whilethecoil is vener-f ized `and thefsucftionmemberwhich eng'agesetheoppoi, Y site-end' of the cigarette is connectedftoffthe 5 son-rcejofqsnction, therefore, up `toasp'oint sliglitly'befoie@ the dispensing positionlisY reached, the Ic igaretteisy subjected to theheat of the coil atene end'and suction atthe other;y y e end, becomingfi'gn-ited 'inthensual'vvay. i 570 As Vthe dispensing position is reached,ethe`4 suction member has been vvithdravvnthrough if l Y the'action of'rthecam slot, releas ing thelightj ed cigarette and since the lreceiving chamber ofe'the dispensingme mber'1is` now? upside' '55 down, the: cigaretteis free to; fallout there# Y The cigarette*1naycomedirectly` into Cong f Y Vtact'.vvitlithe `coil or else thevcoi'l inaybe' prof T te'cted by aperforated'lmica shield .24. if de` I' prefer- I ably provided With a shield V35 formedeontof Y laterally extending projection such ag 52,Y et 1 f sired. i The suction ymemberfi's also v perforated'metal orfof line meshvvire netting .inserted between the' month of the s ilction 'e member and theg suction ,chamber thereof.l

- TheA 'ebjeee ef een einen 4being-te fpreveet `suctiomsystemclogging,the'samel A e v y V`ent of,V the cig-. a'rette is effectedbymeansof ajsuction meme'y ber Whiclris-axially movable infrelation to e the dispensing member.v but IislconstI'faifned to 10 rotatetherewith.v L 5 A'"flfothis end the]suctiongmemberf'is provids e edvvithfa cros'sjp-in 86,{Whichfpassesthrough Vv@Ln-elongated slot (not shown) provided"in.` Y thedispensingmemberfsaidapinprojecting' e f V15 through .a .cam slotq? provided infysleeveil and e extending'thronghthe- Wal1thereof,'- for f Y -janz'arcsnficient 'tojallow-180"'displacementy of said pin-about the axis of said sleevei, e ff-Slot has acam shaped outlinevvhich 20 fromitsv'l'startin'gl point is -irst directed',vl in- Lto provide such'a feature in a Vpractical and.'

Inf-thoseldeviceswhich have' notice, ,affeatnreofthis' character islacking,-f n

underside thereof, silch asy 1s hovv'n `at' 41,' said 1th at its .contents Vmaybe dumpedontfvvhen "dele 'sire'dLf lIn addition to said receptacle or1re-' Y ber`r of lrWays, 'e illustrated in the drawings. f e

loose particles of tobacco frfomyreaching-the fIn many devices. ofthischaracter the igniting-of 'they cigarette onlytake's place When siblyrcansing damage( and i-tjis the purpose lof the-'presentI-invention 8 5 convenient form.

, i lthereforei provide "the-dispensing device Withl ,a .receptacle or container located. at' thev -recepftaclebeing adaptedfto collectaashes, burned stubs, etc., and being detachable, so

cev'er-,l also preferably .provideone orfmore receiving orsupporting membersl,@which e are madeontof'strip metal andfextendldowns'` tain 'distance from the dispensingfmeinber, fterminating ine- V an upwardly l directed hook formed' .portionfh "which is i adapted Ato re .ceive'and-'retain@thev cigarettefallingoutof tliedispensinglinember. Said receiving` or j spporting Ime'mb'ers are rpreferably 'som/e5*V wh'etjinelined towards' the; from, e0 vthat .the "10 ing the removal of the 'cigarette-therefrom; j

bottIrligof'receptacle 4l, but remains sans? gl'l pendedaboveesaid receptacle beingfsnpported-r [preferably made detachable forfthereason Y i fstatedand this end maybe attainedin annnr tWoV possible arrangements being e .11n the "arr ngemen-tfshown in thelovver endzof Vt'hekcontainerat the rear is provided 'with'two'npwardlyinclined recesses 1 2 .t'oreceivev the fre-eendsv of vtvvo .springfiarms "1 enel of reeepteele 4i et 50,4 51. The-free end f of eacharmis bent over'outvvardly toform a 'i adapted feo-register and to inte1`-lockwvitl1*eX tensions, 47, of' recesses 45,46; 1;

.5 'i receiving portion thereofV @his slightly? ahead jiy f of.V thelovv'er end of vthe--cont'ainen' facilitat- Figs: l to Y springer@ @wereeeeepfeviaea wat a forwardly extending portion 53, 54, which project through openings 55, 56, provided through the rear wall of receptacle 41, said openings permitting portions- 53, 54 being. moved a certain distance towards one another. Therefore by pressing said portions inwardly', the arms will be forced to move in the saine direction so that lateral projections 52 of said arms will become disengaged from lateral extension 47, of recesses 45, 46, and the ash receiver or receptacle 4l may be removed by sliding the free ends of arms 48, 49, out of recesses 45, 46.

The receptacle is now engaged from the device shown in Fig. 5 and after its contents have been dumped ont, it can be replaced by once more pressing arms 48, 49 together and inserting their free ends through slots 45, 45,

up to a point where lateral projections 52 can snap into lateral extensions 47, this position being clearly illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6.

As stated. before, the device is also preferA ably provided with means for supporting a lighted cigarette above the ash receiver, preventing the cigarette from falling intol said receiver, said means comprising two downwardly `extending hook formed members 42, 43. Said members may be attached to 'the lower end of the container at the rear, their attaching ends being inserted within slots or recesses 57, 58 provided through the lower rear wall-of said container l0 and being secured in position by means of screws 59.

It is obvious that an ash receiver may be detachably connected to the device in a number of ways, for instance, in Figs. 7 to 9, l illustrate another type of ash receiver ('50, which is merely an elongated receptacle extending underneath the device, provided with two upwardly extending end walls (il, 69 having outwardly bent flanges 63, 34, adapted to register with the lower edges of the container 65, G6.

Each lower end wall of the container is provided with a depending pin or stud, comprising a stem portion. 67 and a head portion 68, the clearance between the surface of said lower ends of the sido walls of th-e container and said heads, being sufficient to admit the thickness of iianges 63, 64.

Said flanges are provided with inwardly directed slots or recesses 69', 70, adapted in their turn to engage and to interlock with stem portions 67 of said studs.

The receptacle is inserted in and removed from its operative position by utilizing the natural tendency of the sheet metal of which its end walls are formed to spring back, the

normal position of saidend walls being that represented in Fig. 7, where the studs are inserted within slots 69, 70, which interlock therewith. To remove the receptacle it is suflicient to press the upper part of said end wall towards one another, causing slots 69, 70. Ato become disengaged from the studs, and inversely in order to place thereceptacle in position it is suiiicient to once more press its end walls towards one another andv then release them while held close to the studs, allowing the slots once more to interlock with said studs. I Y

In view of the many possible ways in which my invention may be applied, the drawings are to be considered as being intended for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense; therefore, I reserve myself the right to carry my invention into practice in any way or manner which may enter fairly into the scope of the appended claims. 1

' I claim: 1 l. ln a device of the class described a container having delivery means at one end, and a receptacle adjacent said end, movable arms secured to the receptacle, said arms having` portions for engaging the receptacle to limit the movement thereof and said container having downward opening recesses atits lower part shaped to receive said arms upon upward movement of the receptacle relative to the container and enable the arms to be detachably engaged by the container to hold the receptacle removably in position.

2. In a device of the class described, a con-` tainer having deliverymeans at one end, and a receptacle adjacent said end, and movable arms attached to said receptacle, said arms having projections and said receptacle having recesses for said projections to limit the movement of said arms, said container having recesses in one face with extensions at their inner ends, and the arms bearing portions at their outer extremities to engage said extensions when inserted in said last-named recesses, to hold the receptacle'removably in position.

3. In a device of the class described, a container having delivery means at one end, and a receptacle adjacent said. end, the .recepta cle having upward extending arms attached thereto at one side and the container having downward inclined recesses in one lower edge with extensions at their inner ends to receive said arms and hold the receptacle in place on the container. A

ALEXANDER GIRTANNER. 

